Exciting Apple AR/VR headset details spill forth as industry insider speaks out

Apple has been working on its AR/VR headset for many years now and we might finally be about to see the fruits of its labour, at least according to highly respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has seemingly confirmed a few things about the system including that it will launch in 2022.

The legendary Apple watcher has released an analyst note (via 9to5Mac) that predicts the AR/VR headset will launch late in 2022 but only with limited supplies. In fact, Kuo describes the launch as being "postponed", suggesting Apple has run into issues.

Significant shipments of the headset will begin in Q1 2023, according to Kuo, meaning there will likely be a scramble to get one of these when they launch. It also possibly means that customers won't get a headset in their stocking.

What else do we know? 

According to MacRumors, writing up the same Kuo note, the headset will include "3P pancake lenses", creating a design that lets light reflect between the lenses and display. The design will help Apple reduce the bulk of the headset, something that has troubled others.

Based on previous Apple AR/VR headset rumours, we know some other details. The focus is on three areas – gaming, entertainment, and FaceTime – and Apple is apparently commissioning VR-specific shows, so we're excited to try some of those.

There is an ongoing debate about whether the headset will exist separately to the iPhone (or Mac), with some believing that Apple is waiting for the hardware to be ready to support itself.

Want to see what the competition is looking like right now for Apple's headset? Then check out T3's best VR headset guide.